Archive for month: August, 2011

With MetLife purchasing the naming rights to New Meadowlands Stadium, the Jets got the first win in “The House That Snoopy Built” on Monday night, a 17-3 preseason win over the Giants.
Deemed the “MetLife Bowl,” the insurance company presented the Jets a trophy with Snoopy in leatherhead gear, holding a football in a Heisman pose.

Ryan grinned awkwardly, trying to look poised as he held a trophy for a preseason win. It was a rare moment in the life of Rex Ryan. The Jets head coach didn’t know what to say. Not too often Rex is at a loss for words. Perhaps he is rehearsing in case he gets to hold the Lombardi trophy. Then again, holding that trophy may not keep him quiet.

Now the Jets and Giants can take part in a Bowl, exclusive only to them, to battle for New York bragging rights. The MetLife bowl sounds more suited for college than the NFL. To some players, this could be the only bowl they get to play in.This past Friday, players from the New York Giants and New York Jets rushed Manhattan’s Bryant Park in an unprecedented event that brought both teams together to celebrate MetLife Stadium with fans of all ages. The event was hosted by 1050 ESPN’s Mike Golic and numerous New York Jets and New York Giants were in attendance.

The event was held to commemorate the signing of a 25-year deal with the Jets and Giants to name the East Rutherford, N.J. sports and entertainment complex. Game tickets and MetLife Stadium-branded hats, t-shirts and mini-footballs were distributed to the loyal and passionate fans who attended the event. They did have green and blue shirts so fans from both sides felt equal.

The MetLife bowl was not just about a trophy, the Giants and Jets also battled for charity in their annual preseason game. The winning team received the MetLife Trophy as well as $40,000 for the charity of their choice, while the other team will be awarded $10,000. The Jets donated their share to The Trust for Public Land and the Giants donated their proceeds to KaBOOM!

“We had a great time bringing the fans and teams together in Bryant Park,” said Beth Hirschhorn, chief marketing officer of MetLife. “This is just one example of the exciting opportunities coming for fans in the months ahead, and we look forward to welcoming them at the new MetLife Stadium.”

At the event, New York and New Jersey fans interacted with active and retired Giants and Jets players and had multiple autograph opportunities. Vinny Testaverde, Wayne Chrebet, & oe Klecko were the veteran contingent for Gang Green. Otis Anderson, Carl Banks, and Armani Toomer were there for the Giants.

Kids had a chance to participate in a “football handoff” from Jets RB Shonn Greene or Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw, and had their very own Kids’ Zone where they could get close to players, have autographs signed and interact with the Peanuts gang. It was a kids dream come true where there were no lines to wait on and all their favorite players around them.

To those fans in attendance who could only stand by and watch the festivities, the players walked the perimeter and signed autographs for anyone who wanted. The merchandise MetLife handed out proved to be great for capturing autographs.

Nick Mangold, who is a die hard fan of the fast casual chain Chipotle, was asked to comment on how great the food is. His response was they already have enough positive attention and he did not need to add to it.

Through the naming rights sponsorship, MetLife plans to significantly expand the unique experiences available to fans, including tickets to big games, the opportunity to play on MetLife Stadium turf, face-to-face meetings with star players, field passes, trips to away games, signed memorabilia and much more.

Even though Monday nights win over the Giants was sloppy, it was a win. Both teams will meet on December 24th during the regular season. It will be a different story then. No preseason bowl. Just two teams looking to make a run at the playoffs and a true battle for New York supremacy.

If this past Monday night;s game is a precursor of how the teams will look this season, there is still a lot of work to be done. With the regular season just 11 days away, both teams need to make big strides on both sides of the ball. Even with MetLife on the new stadium, the Jets and Giants are in no ways insured they will be going to the Super Bowl.

Today nine years ago I lost my father. I think about him everyday. But today I think about him most, obviously. The times he took me to my wrestling tournaments, going to New York Jets games, visiting Belmar, helping him with his doctors, and so much more. I figured I would do my first video blog and talk about it. I can get more out verbalizing than I can writing sometimes.

Obviously, I did not talk about everything. I did not want to put a script together just to talk about my dad. There are some posts on here where I talk about him. For now, I will let everyone listen to me from here rather than reading anything more.

For the past three years I have met many fans while filming my documentary. They have gone through many ups and downs over that time. The announcement of the PSL’s, the destruction of an old stadium, the birth of a new one, overpaying just to keep their seats, and finally wondering if the lockout would have canceled the 2011 season. Through all of that, fans could not stand united against the powers that be. The people who pay to be in the building could never come together to be a united front to show what power they can truly posses.

Why is that you may ask. Because there are many types of fans. Some who feel they are more of an alpha fan. More passionate, more loyal, just because they spend more than others. That they mean more as a fan than other fans are. Think George Orwell’s work of Animal Farm. Where all fans are supposed to be equal. Some fans are more equal than others.

Fans from teams from all leagues have this. I can only speak about Jets fans since I have visited and spoken with many over the years. All of them have their positives and negatives to say. Not just about the team, but about each other. When fans can not get along with each other, there is no way they could ever unite to show team owners they should be taken seriously.
I say this all now because of the lockout. It left a bad taste in many peoples mouths. Not just Jets and Giants fans. It showed that the fans were thought of fifth or sixth, after all the money making issues. Roger Goodell, owners, and players did want the season to happen so fans did not miss out on football in 2011. But was that just good PR on their part or a show of genuine heart? Fans were mixed. Some thought they said it just to say it and others followed like sheep in a herd.

In my travels from tailgates to Jets rallies, the various fans have shown their true selves. Some more down to earth than others. Many older Jets fans, ones who have had tickets since Shea and earlier seem to be more humble. Willing to share war stories of past gridiron battles. There is a sense of pride in being a Jets fan there. One can tell they are a fan and they feel no reason to boast or have a swagger about it. Their dedication has shown for sticking with the Jets this long. To them, they just want to see one more Super Bowl win.

One the flip side there are some fans since Shea who boast about being a fan so long. Just because they feel they have been a fan longer than others. They brag, boast, and jabber on about all the games they went to, where their seats, are and anything else they can say. As if to say their time and seniority with the team makes them a bigger fan than many. They will debate and argue that point until others see their view or concede.

More recent ticket holders have the “he who dies with the most toys wins” attitude. He who holds more PSL’s & sits lower n the bowl spending more on their seats is the bigger fan. These same people feel the more merchandise they own and show off it proves they are a bigger fan than others. By showcasing their disposable income, they believe they look better and are seen as a bigger fan to others. One can notice their bravado in their tailgate setups and how loud they are to others around them.

A few fans who travel to away games believe they are bigger fans as well. They take the time to go to Miami, Indianapolis, Oakland, and other stadiums to see their beloved Jets. For some odd reason, some believe that the more they spend on anything Jets related makes them a bigger fan. One’s dedication to a team and sticking with them no matter what record they have should be reason enough to be a huge fan of the Jets.
Some fans believe that just because they write blogs or run websites it makes them a bigger fan than many. I have heard from a few others and even in my own encounters. There are a few that believe their own hype because they blog Jets information, claim to run the best tailgates and websites, and a few think they are “in the know” just because they run a blog. Having a lot of followers on Twitter or having a few hundred hits per day on your blog does not make you a better fan than anyone else.

Apparently, there is one individual who runs a popular website and tailgates at every game. from reports I have heard, this person believe others do not know how to tailgate the way he does. Plus, he will verbally lash out at others who try to compare his tailgate to another. Apparently, all this person can do is inflate his own ego and even goes on about it on his website. He says his tailgate is the place to be and others are small in comparison. Why would one care about what others do? Is there that much riding on being the one who has the best tailgate and reports the most on the Jets at the same time?

In my own experience, I came across another blogger who carries a very “high and mighty” attitude. This person blogs about Jets information, Jets training and Tweets regularly. Now because this person is friends with other Jets bloggers and apparently knows certain Jets reporters in the true paid media, they feel they need to have a chip on their shoulder. My friend Anthony thought the same opinion after meeting this person only once.

I can tell from this persons interaction with certain fans that they believe their own hype. This person would only talk to certain fans and give the cold shoulder to many others. It seemed this person thought they were better than the others in the area. Even reading their blog and tweets one can see they think of themselves very highly. When I attempted to follow this person on Twitter, even before meeting them, I was blocked. Why block a Jets fan from following another Jets fan? Strange.

All Jets bloggers report the same information. Predictions on games, thoughts on the offense and defense, re-reporting what Jets beat writers get paid to do for national and regional media, and other pertinent team info. Occasionally blog writers will get interviews with players. Just because one runs a blog does not make them a better Jets fan than anyone else. It also does not put you on the same level as one who works for ESPN, NY Post, NY Times, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, etc. It just means you have a voice on the internet, nothing more.

I know not everyone resembles the types I talked about. There are so many others that do not fall into that mix. I brought it up to prove a point. The players can unite to fight for what they want. The teams can come together and be on the same side in the battle against the players. Fans will never be able to stand as one to show what type of a force they can be. I mean after all, we spend the money to fill these stadiums and purchase their merchandise. That totals up to more than a few hundred.

Many who have had season tickets for decades did not follow the team into the new stadium. Not because they couldn’t afford it, but because they saw no need to. One can still be a big Jets fan even though they are not a season ticket holder. A few I have talked to who are well off financially did not purchase a PSL. Even though they could, they thought it was a waste of a purchase or investment. Not every fan has to follow the herd.With the lockout, PSL’s, rate hikes, and so much more, fans will never be able to get together on any issue that affects them. Many are either out for themselves or do whatever the team hands down. They will pay whatever cost it takes to stay at the stadium.

One could say there is middle ground, the non PSL seats in the upper bowl. There are few who have sense of mind not to follow & attend at any cost. Many of those people are in the upper bowl or watching from their couch at home.

Imagine what a fans strike could actually do to a sports league. It would show who really has power in a sport. But there are too many fans and season ticket holders who would never do that. They would complain that they have to pay for their tickets or payments to their PSL’s. They would cringe at the fact of losing their hierarchy of social status in the Roman Coliseum at the Meadowlands. Believing that paying for ones seats is more important than sticking up for ones beliefs.

I did not come here to abuse anyone or call anyone out. I wanted to lay fact that while fans will complain about everything they can do nothing. Not until we all see things the same way. Until we put our egos and attitudes aside for one common purpose, each other. That we all, as fans, will ALWAYS be in the same boat. Paddling as hard as we can with our hands trying to catch up to the yacht filled with players and the luxury liner filled with team owners.

Sometimes, football seems so easy, right? Now that the NFL has resumed operations players, owners, coaches, fans, media, can all travel down that hard working path that is the NFL season..

The prime directive? To win the Super Bowl. Unless you are Rex Ryan, in which case the goal is apparently to stay on the front pages, be heard in the opening segments of SportsCenter, and beat the New England Patriots.

Ryan is one of the better coaches the NFL has to offer. The New York Jets, regardless of whether you like, love, hate, or despise them, are a very good football team. The short list of top Super Bowl contenders this season? Jets, Steelers, Patriots, Eagles, Packers. Until a few seasons ago the Jets were an afterthought.

It doesn’t matter what one thinks about Ryan and the Jets. They are a solid team. The Jets feature a successful young quarterback in Mark Sanchez, a big play receiver in Santonio Holmes, and a hard-hitting and well-coached defense, anchored by two of the leagues best cover corners in Darrell Revis and Antonio Cromartie.

The last two AFC title games have featured the Jets and the last three seasons, they’ve gone 9-7, 9-7, and 10-6. The Jets are no doubt a serious contender, able to beat any opponent any week of the season. But with a shortened training camp due to the lockout, these guys need to get ready & work as a team faster to make the same run they have been making.

There’s a problem though — the New England Patriots. This is where it gets strange because when another team is a problem it’s usually because they can’t be beat. And Rex loves to find ways to focus his time, energy, and mouth on the Patriots.

Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots shakes hands with Rex Ryan of the New York on November 22, 2009 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots won 31-14. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

For years, the Boston Red Sox had a two-headed monster that they were fighting: an inability to win a World Series and a New York rival that always seemed to have their number. In 2004 they cut off both heads, beating the Yankees in the ALCS and then sweeping St. Louis in the World Series.

The Jets already know how to beat New England. Last season the Jets took two of three from the Pats including a demoralizing defeat handed to the Pats in Foxboro in the playoffs. The Patriots should be in the rearview mirror for the Jets now, it’s all about the Super Bowl right?

Wrong, Rex Ryan has an odd obsession with New England and he just can’t stop talking about them. Every press conference seems to be punctuated with a bitter speech about how much better the Jets are than the Patriots. Last year in the run-up to a divisional playoff game in New England, he declared the game the most important game in Jets history. Wouldn’t that be Super Bowl III?

The Jets won 28-21 and it wasn’t really that close. The problem, of course, is that the Jets followed up that win with a stinker in the AFC title game, losing to the Steelers after falling behind 24-3 in the first half. They left their blood, sweat, and tears in Foxboro and played with their heart at Heinz Field. But heart was not enough.

It’s probably hard for a team to show up and play as if their season is on the line when they’ve just won the biggest game in team history. The goal is the Super Bowl and the problem with Ryan’s irrational and constant obsession with the Patriots is that the Jets will never be awarded a Super Bowl ring for beating New England.

In a recent press conference, Ryan continued his infinite stream of New England comedy.

“I think we have to find somebody out there to beat New England besides us, I think that would help,” Ryan said. “Anybody out there that wants to sign up for it? Are you good enough as a team to beat the New England Patriots? Forget about us, are you good enough to go out and beat the New England Patriots? I’m challenging the league.”

Rex Ryan has two signature traits. One is running his mouth, and the other is fielding very good football teams. One used to be his time for shutting down a buffet. At some point one of those traits may begin to take away form the other. Everything Ryan says at this point is something he’s said already in some form. He is going into more reruns than Sinfeld.

Two weeks ago, Ryan claimed the Jets team he has for the upcoming 2011 season is his best team ever. Something he’s claimed in each of the last two seasons, just like he’s claimed they would win the Super Bowl. How can one make that claim when all the players had yet to be signed or known? This 2011 team has yet to play in a game together for Rex to determine if they are better than last year. But that is Rex Ryan.

Sean Ellis recently signed with the Patriots after being dropped by Gang Green. That move did not sit too well with Rex. It just added more fuel to an ever burning bonfire. Ellis is determined to let the Jets know how wrong the move was on their part.

Confidence is nice. Showing your team that you believe in them is good too. Eventually, those words become somewhat meaningless if there’s no follow through.

Stop worrying about New England, the rest of the league, and stop telling everyone how good you are and how good your team is Rex. Show a better poker face instead of letting your ego write checks your butt can’t cash. If you want people to believe you, you don’t need to say anything; you just need to win.

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Levy’s Bakery Productions was formed in August of 2008 before filming the documentary Gang Greed. Levy’s Bakery Productions is named after my grandparents bakery in Belmar, NJ. It stood on Avenue F but has been gone for decades.